9/11: Americans, Never Forget

9/11 fact and fiction Forum

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Sept. 11, 2004

I was supposed to be at Ground Zero today._Instead, I’m waiting for a hurricane in Key West that now looks like it won’t arrive.

I would’ve shared my memories and reflections as best I could during coverage of the ceremonies where the World Trade Center once stood._Instead, I’ll share what I can here.

9/11 was a living nightmare — the worst possible dream I could’ve ever imagined._ I never felt so many emotions so strongly as I did that clear September morning. Anger. Fear. Confusion. Disbelief._Sadness._Rage._Frustration._Pain._I couldn’t believe the day was real, couldn’t process the scenes playing out in front of me, couldn’t understand how the things I was seeing and hearing could possibly be true.

I was there._I stood at the base of the towers as they burned, saw the chaos in the streets, and the shock on the faces of police, firefighters, rescue workers, office workers, and people on street corners.

I stood four blocks away, microphone in hand, camera rolling next to me, as the 300-foot cloud of dust and debris rolled up Church Street moments after the first tower collapsed, and people ran towards us screaming for their lives._I took refuge in our satellite truck with one of the best people I know on this earth, Pat Butler, a FOX Engineer who showed strength, resolve, and courage in the face of this awful act of terror._Four minutes later, we went back out into the street, documenting the events unfolding before us.

I heard stories that day I hope I never hear again._Eyewitness accounts of the planes hitting the towers, people jumping to their deaths, harrowing escapes from 80 stories in the sky.

I also saw the best of mankind._Men and women doing all they could to help save lives and heal wounds, searching for survivors and trying to maintain calm as a disaster unfolded._I watched heroes at work.

We all lost someone, or something, that day._We lost friends, loved ones, and strangers_— everyday people doing extraordinary things. We lost a chunk of the Manhattan sky, a big slice of innocence, and a piece of our freedom and independence.__

No one should ever forget what happened._Because the less we remember, the more likely this horrible past will replay in our future.


By Rick Leventhal for FOX Fan Central

Amen - I wish we could have put together something of a comemoration on the site here today but we didn't end up having time to put it together.

This comemoration does not concern only American people. It is a sad day for everyone enjoying freedom and democracy. Indeed we shall never forget.
This tragic event will mark the real beginning of the 21st century for History as the beginning of WW1 did for the 20th one.

I was disappointed that none of the television stations here in Florida broadcast the memorial ceremonies on Saturday. I suppose the idea now is to get over it and move on. But what if we don't want to get over it and move on? What if it's just as important for people thousands of miles away to share in the grief of the family and friends of the victims of 9/11?
I didn't cry on that terrible day in 2001, I couldn't cry. I was too numb and shocked to really absorb what was happening. I had a knot in my stomach for days and when it finally released, so did my tears, but not many of them. I've always felt a greater amount of sorrow that's for some reason being locked up inside. Each year since on the anniversary, I'm able to let it out a little more. This year I cried harder than I ever have. Maybe it was watching the special on HBO or A&E, or maybe my emotions are haywire because of the pregnancy hormones. In either case it felt good to let go again.
All those people, all those innocent people just doing their jobs, earning a living, supporting their families...all those civil servants, the port authority officers, the police and the fire fighters, who selflessly gave their lives to protect citizens, and really not until that day heard much by the way of a "thank you". Those civil servants, who made so much less of a salary than some of the people who's lives they saved that day, but they did the job anyway because they loved it and they loved helping people. All those people on the planes, the last moments of their lives are the kind of moments that nightmares are made of. The sheer terror they must have been feeling is too unbearable to think of.
Yes it was a day that the world will never forget. Or at least, let's hope we all never forget.

I watched much of the ceremonies. It made me cry again.
And to think there are people who feel we are not justified. God help them too.

Yeah but the real scenerio is like a Die Hard film gone wrong.

Never saw Die Hard. But I did see the towers on 9/11.

Why is it so important to the forces of reaction and violence to halt Iraq in its democratic tracks and tip it into sectarian war? Why do foreign terrorists from Al Qaida and its associates go across the border to kill and maim? Why does Syria not take stronger action to prevent them? Why does Iran meddle so furiously in the stability of Iraq?

Examine the propaganda poured into the minds of Arabs and Muslims. Every abuse at Abu Ghraib is exposed in detail; of course it is unacceptable but it is as if the only absence of due process in that part of the world is in prisons run by the Americans. Every conspiracy theory - from seizing Iraqi oil to imperial domination - is largely dusted down and repeated.

Why? The answer is that the reactionary elements know the importance of victory or defeat in Iraq. Right from the beginning, to them it was obvious. For sure, errors were made on our side. It is arguable that de-Baathification went too quickly and was spread too indiscriminately, especially amongst the armed forces. Though in parenthesis, the real worry, back in 2003 was a humanitarian crisis, which we avoided; and the pressure was all to de-Baathify faster.

But the basic problem from the murder of the United Nations staff in August 2003 onwards was simple: security. The reactionary elements were trying to de-rail both reconstruction and democracy by violence. Power and electricity became problems not through the indolence of either Iraqis or the MNF but through sabotage. People became frightened through terrorism and through criminal gangs, some deliberately released by Saddam.

These were not random acts. They were and are a strategy. When that strategy failed to push the MNF out of Iraq prematurely and failed to stop the voting; they turned to sectarian killing and outrage most notably February's savage and blasphemous destruction of the Shia Shrine at Samarra.

They know that if they can succeed either in Iraq or Afghanistan or indeed in Lebanon or anywhere else wanting to go the democratic route, then the choice of a modern democratic future for the Arab or Muslim world is dealt a potentially mortal blow. Likewise if they fail, and those countries become democracies and make progress and, in the case of Iraq, prosper rapidly as it would; then not merely is that a blow against their whole value system; but it is the most effective message possible against their wretched propaganda about America, the West, the rest of the world.

That to me is the painful irony of what is happening. They have so much clearer a sense of what is at stake.

—Tony Blair


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So this Blair story Hawky likey, the others are lefty liberal lefty left. I see...

Plus, who is going to forget 9/11? How could we and who would want to?

-HECK!

Intresting that Hawk actually uses a lefty from a lefty party to support his right sided leanings.

Sounds like a dog chasing its tail.

-HECK!

Hawk is definitely a propagandist. Every kind of wood will suit to feed the fire.

"Call me insane, but did it sort of look like those buildings came down in a controlled demolition?"
— Charlie Sheen

"First, just if I might correct a misperception. I don't think we ever said -- at least I know I didn't say that there was a direct connection between September the 11th and Saddam Hussein. "
George W. Bush, Mar. 20, 2006

"The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and Al Qaeda, because there was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda."
George W. Bush, Jun. 17, 2004

-HECK!

And this is just priceless, if not off-topic: "We need nuclear power, in my judgment. It's a renewable source of energy that doesn't create greenhouse gases."
Bush, Mar. 10, 2006

Renewable source of energy? Mission accomplished!

-HECK!

• direct connection

• relationship


Some folks just don't have the ability to discern the difference. A political color-blindness, of sorts.

—Desert Hawk, Wednesday, March 29, 2006

se·man·tics - The meaning or the interpretation of a word, sentence, or other language form

-HECK!

Heck

You express your point of view as a citizen. Some other people have an agenda here. That is the difference.

November 8, 2002: Resolution 1441 passes unanimously by the United Nations Security Council offering Iraq "a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations" that had been set out in several previous resolutions (Resolution 660, Resolution 661, Resolution 678, Resolution 686, Resolution 687, Resolution 688, Resolution 707, Resolution 715, Resolution 986, and Resolution 1284), notably to provide "an accurate full, final, and complete disclosure, as required by Resolution 687 (1991), of all aspects of its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles". Resolution 1441 threatens "serious consequences" if these are not met. It reasserted demands that UN weapons inspectors should have "immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access" to sites of their choosing, in order to ascertain compliance.

I reckon that a decade of "playing games" with Saddam is not quite long enough for Europeans—what with their perpetual hate, fear and envy for America. Yes, yes, just ONE more resolution was necessary. One more would have done it! THAT ONE would have been the one to surely bring Saddam to his senses and avoid war.

Why do you focus solely on certain facts that support your ideas and completely ignore and disregard facts that dispute them?

That is a funny picture. I like the one of the dude next to Saddam right after he was pulled out of that hole.

-HECK!

Just shows how ignorant Curly joe is about European countries at the time of the resolution. You see there are so many countries that are European and were involved and helped America that it make your whole European and envy of America propaganda piece worthless, incidentally who are you selling your propaganda to? ( personally I think you are selling to yourself)

Anyways Albania, Armenia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Czech Rep, Denmark, Estonia, Georgia, Italy, Lativia, Lithunaia, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romaina, Slovakia, Spain, UK and Ukraine all sent combat troops to Iraq and also backed the resolution.

Portugal and Moldova are involved in training the Iraqi troops.

In total the Europans sent in around 27,000 troops to fight.

so 22 European countries sent troops to fight or tarin in Iraq and all probably backe the resolution. That sort of putd your theory of all European countries wanting more reolustions up in the air or maybe in the gutter where it belongs. Of course we all know that by now you consider Europe as France and Germany and that skews your views even more than usual.

Again bullsh** from you Joe. when have I ever clamed the US acted unilaterally?
when?
prove it ?
Put or Shut up?

I admit at times I have blamed the US and the UK for not going against the council but as I said I blame both not one, and I have blamed US soldiers if they have f**ked up on certaijn missions but if you f**k up ijn the military you expect to be dragged over hot coals about it ( something you are to cowardly to understand) so your claims are once again plain and simple rubbish.

Once again Curly you have failed to keep on the subject ( starnge sine you brough it up) about Europena countries to envious of the US to assist in Iraq so you have turned your attention to other members including me that's fine because that indicates at least one thing about you and that is that you lack the inteelignce to have a debate about the issues and facts.

Slow your roll, Hawk. Enchance your calm. Claiming I am a 'blame-America-first socialist' is completely off the mark, which I suppose is par for the course when you're concerned. It's evident you need to lump others together so you can feel better about spewing such vile word nuggets, but don't wrap me into your little boquet idiocy.

Lunch is served.

-HECK!

It makes him feel better. He must not win too many battles at home with the wife.

-HECK!

Jurors in death-penalty trial of Zacarias Moussaoui reach verdict on whether Al Qaeda conspirator is eligible for execution:

YES

And you think that's a good piece of news ?

As a prerequisite ... please note that I don't care about the french nationality of Moussaoui - he could just be American, just like other terrorists that does mean nothing else than the possibility to infiltrate and destroy our societies.

This being said ... being eligible to death and killed is EXACTLY what he wants. He wants to die as a "martyr" and more importantly - be killed by the American judicial system. And people like you fall in the trap. You are giving him what he wants and paving the road to his "martyrdom" being venerated and cited in example in certain circles
By the second Moussaoui will be killed hundreds will be willing to follow his path.
You will never understand. Never heard of the myth of the hydra in old Greece ? You should get it, Curley Joe, since wiser ancesters of yours spread these myths .... and this one tells you than when you cut a head, ten new ones are growing out of its cutted neck ... ad infinitum.
You fight it by destroying it at its source: ignorance, poverty, social inegalities and lack of democracy.
Revenge will drive you nowhere else than in hell.

Fry em'. He can join his buddies who are all surprised to be in hell, I'm sure.

-HECK!

Indeed, that's all what he deserves. But that's not the wise thing to do, though.

I see what you are saying, JY, and you bring up an excellent point. He does more harm dead than alive. Unfortunately, I don't think that will quell many American's need for justice, closure and a dash of revenge. Regardless of any underlying motive we may have for wanting the death penalty in this case, this person has far exceeded the prerequisite for said punishment and it's time for the devil to pay his due.

-HECK!

Justice? This is all about vengeance, nothing more.

I completely agree with JY_French, I said something similar in the Breaking News thread on this subject.

He could have averted the death of 3,000 Americans. Fry 'im up in a pan of sizzling pig's blood and fat.

You know, upon further review, perhaps the socialist winnies who chant for the terrorist's life may have a point. After all, in a U.S. prison a terrorist who killed 3,000 Americans would be "very well taken care of." He would be carrying a purse within a day. His pain would be 'stretched out' over the rest of his (short) life. And that would be the least of his problems.

Socialist? I think this is one of the cases where your 'bleeding heart libearl' comment might be apt.

-HECK!

Hey, to me he should get stoned to death with hot potatoes filled with anthrax, but in the government we belong to, we have to abide by the ruling that is laid down.

-HECK!

Moussaoui is an insane individual. And he makes a convenient scapegoat by the way. I have no sympathy for him, he deserves a heavy punishment, but I won't quote myself - I already gave my opinion about his sentencing to death. That wouldn't bring explanation nor justice to the families of those who died on 9/11. The perpetrators - Bin Laden and co - are still on the loose. And that matters much more that Moussaoui proving to be mentally disturbed in a court of justice.

Not all of them share that point of view - far from that.

I did see a news report which surprised me. A family member from one of the victims of 9/11 was against Moussaoui getting the death penalty. Personally I can't imagine wanting anything less than the death penalty in this case.

-HECK!

It's not the wiser thing to do, though - as already discussed. I am convinced Moussaoui is insane. he has been so brainwashed that he has lost all common sense and reason. I mean- I've heard an interview of his brother, who is a teacher in France and is completely assimililated in the society. He was explaining very sensible things and could not understand why his brother, whom he was grown up with, had become what he is. His own mother did not recognize his son.
Moussaoui is ill. That doesn't excuse him, but I think he makes a convenient scapegoat.
Where are Bin Laden, Al-Zahaouiri, and the rest of this cohort of bastards ? Those ones deserve death penalty 3000 times.

He's loony toons, but I wanted to see him dead. However I wouldn't mind seeing him making big rocks into small rocks. Anyway he'll be in solitary the rest of his life so if he's not crazy now he will be. Almost like to see him in general pop, I'm sure he wouldn't live long there.